Why He Saved Her
by Hermione's Equal
Summary: All of Hermione's Friends have died in the War the night Voldemort attacked the Burrow, but she has lived. She discovered who saved her, but is determined to know why so she can go on with her life.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter I: And She Couldn't Banish a Boggart**

Hermione looked at herself in the mirror, combed her hair to the best of her capabilities, and walked away quickly. After the battle to end all battles, Hermione was left nearly alone. She even had the bags under her eyes to prove it.

She pulled on the same robes she wore every other day, and walked down the corridor to her classroom. After watching both Ron and Harry die to fight Lord Voldemort her seventh year at Hogwarts, she decided to take life a little easier. As soon as she had finished Wizarding College, she quickly requested to take the post as Defense against the Dark Arts Teacher.

She was now teaching pre-pubescent children how to defend themselves. The curse on the job had long been gone, but seeing as Professor Snape had difficulties teaching both Potions and DADA after all counts of murder were cleared on him, it was an available job for her to take.

She lived in the castle, among her old teachers, and went through the same routine every single day in her life. Today was no different.

The seats were all filled with pupils. It was her third year Ravenclaw and Gryffindor students every Wednesday at nine.

"Good morning class."

"Good morning Professor Granger." She stood in front of the chalkboard. With a flick of her wand, notes appeared visible to all students.

"Before you go frantic with your quills, this is for reference. We are having a practical class today." Something in the corner shook loudly.

"What was that?" Jenny Jacobs, a muggle-born, Ravenclaw student shrieked.

"Any guesses?" She asked hopefully when a small boy with light brown hair stepped forward.

"Is it a boggart?" He said meekly.

"Correct, Mr. Lupin." She smiled sweetly. "Yes, I remember the day your father introduced me to the very creatures. Can you tell me what a boggart is?"

"They are shape-shifters, Professor. They morph into you deepest fears."

"Correct again. Ten points to Gryffindor." There was a soft murmur. "Boggarts can be easily controllable though. All you have to do is say the incantation 'Riddikulus', and say it loudly. Envision a way to make your worst fear, funny. Laughter really breaks a boggart down." She walked over to the closet and grabbed the handle. "Do I have any takers?" She asked hopefully. When nobody stepped forward, she decided that she would demonstrate first.

She took a step or two backwards and cast a spell to open the door. When the creature emerged from the door, what she saw lying on the floor had been haunting her dreams for years. It was a raven haired boy with emerald green eyes. He was sprawled out, entirely motionless. She stood there, unable to move. The hairs on the back of her neck stood straight up, but she couldn't move.

She fell to the ground and broke down in tears before the same mousy-haired boy stepped forward. The boggart turned into a very realistic werewolf. It began to leap toward the boy.

"Riddikulus!" He screamed loudly and watched as it turned from werewolf to a giant stuffed teddy bear. The class broke out in laughter and when she finally got the strength to stand, Hermione cast the Boggart away to the closet again.

"Very good, Mr. Lupin. Ten more points to Gryffindor." She tried to smile, but failed. "Sorry about that. Make sure to take a few notes that I have on the board before you leave. Class dismissed." Children began to shuffle to their seats. Their quills were racing down their papers and Hermione watched as each one filed out of the classroom.

She leaned back in her chair, propped her feet up on her desk, and folded her hands behind her head.

"Miss Granger?" She heard from the doorway and was scared nearly out of her chair. She opened her eyes and before her was a terribly tall and pale man, with dark hair.

"Am I not a Professor as well?" She said as he walked gracefully to her desk and stood before.

"Old habits die hard." He was genuine.

"May I ask why you are here?" She asked impatiently, putting her feet back onto the ground.

"Am I intruding on your precious time?" He said almost viciously. She laid her hands onto her desk and rested her head on them.

"I'm sorry, Severus. I am not feeling very well." She said quietly, muffled by her sleeve.

"That is why I am here." He pulled out his wand and conjured a chair. It was black and thin, nearly like him. "I have heard from students that you were unable to banish a boggart." He scoffed loudly.

"It happens." She raised her head, but just barely. "I am not in the mood for this."

"You haven't slept properly in weeks. Either you need sleeping potions, or you need a break from teaching."

"We have not even a week before Christmas break." She stood straight in her chair and stretched. "When break starts, I will rest."

"I don't think you will last that long. Minerva has advised me to offer to take over your classes."

"I don't need you to." She sat up even more straight. "It's only three more days!" She looked directly at Severus. She would have loved to take up the offer, but that would make her appear weak.

"Exactly. I am assuming you have all of your exams prepared."

"Of course."

"All I would have to do is act as babysitter for three days, then."

"I can do it, Severus." She snarled.

"You can hardly walk straight. I highly doubt that you can teach a class."

"I am not feeling well, today. I guarantee that I will be fine tomorrow."

"Go to Poppy. She will tell you the same." He was now twiddling his fingers, slightly amused.

"I haven't missed a single day since I started this job four years ago. I am not going to start now."

"I tell you what," He stood from his chair, "If you can make it out that door, I'll deem you responsible enough to give your own exams."

"Deem me responsible!" She stood from her chair and began to walk towards the door. "I am most certainly abl-" She began but fell short of the door, hard onto her face. Severus rushed to her side and hoisted her up into his arms. He carried her down to the hospital wing.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Why She Lived.**

"What has happened to her, Severus?" Poppy said, maternally as she levitated her body onto one of the many cots.

"She fell on the way to her door. She has been overworking herself, again." He drawled on lazily as he watched Poppy run different tests.

"Yes. I haven't been seeing her at dinner either. Tests show that she has lost at least twenty pounds. Poor kid."

"She's hardly a child anymore, Poppy."

"You know what I mean, Severus. The poor girl has been through enough in her life. She needs a break. I am going to induce a rested sleep. Take over her classes, will you?"

"Of course."

"She should be up in about five days." She laid her wand down on the table next to Hermione bed. "She should be back to normal come Saturday."

"She'll hate me for tricking her." He scoffed lightly and smiled mischievously.

"How so?"

"I told her that she could teach her own classes if she could make it to her doorway. She was already tired and weak. She passed out midway because she got up too quickly."

"Severus!"

"She'll have time to heal this way."

"I suppose. Off you go now." She shoo-ed Severus out of the room.

He then walked down the corridor to resume teaching the rest of his classes and a few of her classes.

The following Saturday, Hermione woke up a little dizzy. She saw a wand resting on the table next to her, and assumed it was hers. Her eyes were cloudy at first, but she quickly realized where she was.

"What am I doing here?" She said to nobody in particular. She looked at her muggle watch. "Merlin! I have class in ten minutes! Look at me!" She was wearing hospital robes of white and her hair was curled and crazy all around her head.

"Hermione dear, settle down. It is Saturday and you have no classes."

"Saturday?" She tried to run her hands through her hair. "Saturday!" She stood quickly from her cot and just as quickly fell back to the floor. "Severus, you bastard!"

Madame Pomfrey rushed to her side, giggling slightly, and lifted her back to her feet.

"No more of this, Miss Granger. This is the last time you are overworking yourself. You need to eat and you need to rest. No more of this!" She pointed to Hermione in a mirror. "I am going to give you your clothes back and I am going to escort you to your room, okay?"

"I can do this myself." She said miserably and she began to hold herself up. "I just got up too fast."

"Okay, you can walk yourself to your room, but Hermione, you have got to stop this! You have been starving yourself and you are sleep deprived. I have a batch of dreamless sleep potions for you. I want you to take one before you go to sleep tonight and one for the rest of the month, every night. I've already told Severus to keep an eye on you this break."

"Why Severus? Why not Minerva?" She whined.

"Minerva is in Spain, on vacation."

"Pomona?"

"Greece."

"Oh, please."

"Get over it. It's already been settled, now off to bed you go."

"I just woke up!"

"Okay," She thought of all the activities Hermione could and would want to do, "go and read something."

"You and I both know that I have read everything in this school's library twice."

"Borrow a book from Severus."

"Leave it to you to suggest something as ridiculous as that." She half-heartedly glared at Poppy.

"Goodbye Hermione."

"Bye." She said as she reluctantly left the hospital wing.

She was lying on her couch when she heard the knock at her door.

"What do you want?" She yelled, miserably.

"May I enter?"

"Yeah, whatever." She had a box of chocolate frogs in one hand and a bottle of pumpkin juice in the other.

"One would swear you are drunk." The tall man observed as he watched her listlessly toss a chocolate frog box onto the floor.

"Hardly, unless pumpkin juice is alcoholic?"

"Are you feeling alright?" He said as he took a seat in one of her chairs.

"Oh, I'm just peachy." She took a severe bite out of one of the chocolate frogs. She peered into the box and pulled out another card with a gleaming image of a raven haired boy with green eyes. "Why, wouldn't you know? Harry Potter!" She said in mock excitement. She threw the card aside in a pile with the rest of the Harry Potter cards.

"I see."

"You know. Every now and then I find a Ron Weasley. And you know, Ginny Weasley is supposedly a really popular card." She nodded her head. "Would you like a chocolate frog?"

"No, thank you."

"It would have been nice if Lord Voldemort had just taken me with him. It was rather rude of him to kill off all of my friends and leave me here. Don't you think?"

"Hermione." He said as he stared at her miserably.

"And I also heard just why I made it out and they didn't. I suppose you already know, though?"

"Please."

"Yeah. Old history, right. It was only eight years ago. We all remember the night Harry willingly gave himself up to him just to save our asses. Why don't we remember the rest of them. Fred, George, Ginny, Ron, Molly, Arthur, Percy, Bill, Charlie, Hagrid and Neville. All of them lost. I don't know how I made it out alive."

"Hermione, you made it out alive because you weren't destined to die." He whispered sadly.

"Destined to die!" She sat up in the couch. "And they _were_ destined to die!" She looked back down at her Chocolate Frog, "I know why I am still alive!" She looked down at her feet and said meekly, "You." They both sat in complete silence.

"Who told-?"

"Remus told me. Of all the people there that fateful night, how did you think I was the most important?"

"You were all I could save." He murmured.

"You could have saved anyone of us the same way I was saved. Remus told me the circumstances. You two were trapped and you had the opportunity to save one person each. I know. He saved Tonks." She looked him straight in the eyes. "WHY ME!"

"Hermione, please."

"Please, what? You made sure I had to live with the fact that every single person in the world who loved me is gone!"

"I didn't mean to hurt you by saving your life!"

"Why?" She was now crying terribly.

"Because…"

"WHY!" She threw the chocolate frog box in his face. "You selfish bastard, why?" She collapsed to the ground and began to pound her hands on the floor.

Severus stood rooted to the spot where she had thrown the box at him. His eyes never left her.

Why had he saved her and nobody else? He had often questioned himself and he came to the same conclusion that she had. He was selfish. He had always respected her for her intellect. In the beginning, she was the only person to believe that he didn't murder Albus Dumbledore, and she was the one to uncover the fact that Dumbledore had forced him to, in the first place. She was beautiful and he wanted to believe that she wanted to live. He had always hoped she would never find out the truth about what happened that night, but he figured she would eventually.

She grew quiet quickly until he found that she was staring in his direction.

"I'm sorry, Hermione." He said quietly and she sat there dumbfounded.

"No, Severus, you shouldn't be apologizing about saving my life." She took another sip of pumpkin juice, gulping loudly. "It's just hard to live, not knowing why you are still alive."

"I don't know what to tell you." He said quietly and silently left the room. Hermione sat on the floor, motionless. Dried tears stained her face and her hair was matted funnily around her face.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: He Was _Supposed_ to Be Helping**

Severus slept difficultly that night. He tossed and turned several times. He awoke once to the sound of his own cries. In his dreams, he relived the night when he saved Hermione's life.

_The sun was threatening to rise that morning. It had been a long night of casting spells and hexes to fend off the enemies. It all lead to a long line of innocent people waiting to be killed. Molly and Arthur were the firsts to go, followed by Charlie, Bill, and Fred. They saved George a while so he had to live a good half hour without his twin. Ginny was gripped to Ron as Voldemort fought with Harry. _

_The attack had been a giant surprise at the Burrow. The Weasley's were outnumbered four to one by death eaters. Harry was trying his best to defeat Voldemort while the rest of the people there for Easter Dinner were being slaughtered one by one. _

_Severus and Remus were sent off to the Village to pick up some form of muggle liquor to celebrate the occasion. When they returned they saw the place glowing from spells. They hid behind the broom shed and watched as half the people were murdered. Remus sat there dumbfounded while Severus searched his mind for all the different ways they could ever possibly save their friends. _

_The plan was to get to one person and quickly apparate away. They both knew it would only work once. Remus knew exactly who he would be saving. Severus quickly decided as well. On the count of three, they apparated in to save them, and apparated away to Hogwarts gates. They took their struggling victims inside the grounds and let them catch their breath._

_Tonks was crying terribly into Remus' arms and Severus noted that Hermione wasn't breathing at all. He quickly rushed her to the Hospital Wing and that was where she woke up. She was all alone, and she had no memory of what happened at all. _

_That same day, after saving Hermione and alerting the Order to the Weasleys' house for backup, they found that Voldemort had successfully been murdered by Harry. Harry lost his life as well, due to an unknown curse thrown at him by one of Voldemort's Death Eaters. The rest of the Weasleys were found murdered. Fleur, who had still been in France with her family, was left a widow with an unborn child on the way. Hagrid was later found murdered, unmistakably, in the gardens. _

Severus never really cared to remember most of what he dreamed about, but he was forced to relive it due to Hermione. Remus had suffered enough as well. He and Tonks had a son that summer. When he was only five years old, Sirius Lupin was admitted to Hogwarts. He is currently the youngest ever student to attend Hogwarts.

Severus woke himself awake at around four in the morning. He struggled to keep his eyes closed any longer. He threw on the usual black robes and walked into his lab. He quickly gathered ingredients and began to concoct a potion he knew would help when he couldn't sleep later on that night.

* * *

Hermione fell asleep on the floor that night. She had wrappers littered around her head and her breath was extremely smelly as she forgot to brush her teeth after eating so many sweets. 

First thing she did was rush to the bathroom, rinse her mouth, brush her teeth, and hop into the shower. The water was lukewarm, like she always liked to take her shower. By the way the sun was adjusted in the sky, it appeared to be around eight in the morning.

After stepping out of the shower, she wrapped herself in a towel and proceeded in drying her hair. Muggle appliances didn't work inside Hogwarts walls so she used a drying charm. After taming her extensively messy hair, she heard a subtle knock at the door. She was still in a towel, nearly naked, but decided that it probably wasn't going to be a student knocking at her door today as most were on Christmas break.

She walked out to the door and made sure her towel was wrapped tightly around her and pulled it open.

Before her stood a tall, thin, man. He wore the expression of a deer in the headlights and quickly turned away when she spotted him looking at her chest area.

"May I help you, Severus?" She asked amusedly.

"One wonders when would be a good time to talk." He was now covering his eyes.

"Don't be silly. You've seen a woman before."

"You aren't a woman, you are a co-worker, and I am not comfortable talking with you in this attire, or lack thereof."

"Calm down. I am going to go and change. I'll be back in a few."

Severus noted, aside from her distinct womanly curves, that Hermione seemed to be gaining weight back. Her hair seemed more tamed, and she had a glow about her skin. He wondered what could have brought about such a change, but realized that it must have been the chocolates.

About four minutes later, Hermione walked out into her living room wearing a pair of muggle jeans and a tight-fitting, light yellow, long-sleeved shirt. Her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail and she had applied a bit of makeup.

"Before you get started, I am sorry about last night."

"Are you sure that the pumpkin juice wasn't alcoholic?"

"I don't need alcohol to get drunk. Chocolate usual does it for me."

"I see." He readjusted himself in his seat to be a little more comfortable. Hermione was lounging on her couch with her feet in the air and her hands beneath her head. "I wanted to make sure that you were doing better."

"Are you really concerned, or are you sick of having nothing to do on the holidays? I would say I am in the latter."

"I am concerned." He said professionally. "And I told Poppy I would be checking on you."

"Great. I'm a charity case. I wonder if that has ever happened before?" She began to twiddle her thumbs.

"Has it." He said, almost as though he wasn't really listening, but just patronizing.

"What?" She sat up on the couch and tucked her feet below her. "Of course it has! If not by you in initially saving my life, for god knows what reason, but by universities giving me full tuition, or by every restaurant I walk in to. 'Here, you have whatever you want, on the house.'" She scoffed slightly. "You think I enjoy that much? And of course I am bitter about it! Hell, I believe that Minerva gave me this job solely by charity."

"I didn't mean it like that. I was saying that not as a question but as an afterthought. And you know very well that you are more qualified than any other person around here to teach that class. It's not my fault that people think of you as some charity case. You know for certain that I don't pity you."

"Why? You never answered me. I want to know why you saved me. I am calmer, more awake, and I won't criticize you. Please just tell me." He looked at her and his former professional expression had changed to that of quiet anger.

"I had to choose. It was you, Ron, or Ginny. Fred was gone, Tonks was going to be rescued by Remus, Percy looked like a ghost and had absolutely no hope. Ron wouldn't have ever been happy again if he lived and you didn't. He was absolutely head over heels for you. Ginny was the same with Harry. She wasn't exactly healthy looking either. I logically figured you were the most capable to survive happily." He said without a trace of emotion. He looked blankly towards the wall.

Hermione's face contorted with sadness and tears began to fall from her face.

"I did love Ron." She said quietly, almost angrily.

"And that is why you feel so badly about understanding my logic. I am right! I knew that you would surpass all of the others emotionally. I didn't think that you would have this much trouble, but I knew that if I had brought back any other, they would have been gone long ago." He stood from his seat with the same blank expression.

"You are evil." She wiped a tear from her eyes and stood from her seat. "I wish you would have left me." She stood from her spot and went to her bedroom. Severus exited the room quickly and walked back down to his dungeons.

* * *

_AN: Okay, it's kind of silly that Remus and Tonk's kid was allowed to go to Hogwarts when he was only five... but I thought it would be really cute to have him be present for Hermione's boggart lecture. Besides, I bet that if they did have a kid, they would be that smart. I am a bit of a rule bender, but I still hope you will enjoy. Review if you like. I would love to hear what you think. ;P_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: Christmas with the Lupins**

Since the night that he walked out of Hermione's rooms abruptly, he had been brooding in his rooms doing absolutely nothing. Christmas was getting really close. He could almost hear the sounds of Remus and Nymphadora's children prancing around the tree and he couldn't believe he agreed to go to their Christmas celebrations.

But that wasn't what plagued his mind. He couldn't help but worry that he might have done something to make Hermione's depression worse. He knew that he had told her the most awful story he could in the hopes that she would drop it, but he was now regretting his actions terribly. He wondered how she was feeling, but knew he would only make it worse by going and seeing her again. Knowing as persistent the Gryffindor was, she would more than likely ask again.

Instead, he floo-ed to Diagon Alley to do some last minute Christmas shopping. As much as he was annoyed by the six little Lupin children running around, he couldn't help but love them like nieces and nephews.

* * *

Hermione quickly tried to forget all about what Severus had told her by downing an entire bottle of Firewhiskey. She woke the next morning with a splitting headache, but didn't care as she had already finished doing Christmas shopping and had nothing else to do but sleep for the next day.

At around seven that night, she decided that she was tired of lying around in bed, and finally went to take a shower. She packed her bags for the week at the Lupin's and although she didn't want to go, wrapped the presents.

The next morning, she floo-ed directly there and was greeted instantly by Sirius, her third year student.

"Merry Christmas, Professor Granger." He smiled and she gave him a hug.

"Psst. It's Hermione at home." She said quietly in his ear. He blushed slightly.

"Sorry. Uhm, Hermione. Could I possibly call you Aunt Hermione? I don't have any aunts or uncles." She smiled big.

"Of course. Where are you mom and dad?" He pointed his finger at a door.

"In the kitchen. Mom is trying to feed Fred and George," (Hermione flinched at hearing their names) "It's really funny."

Hermione let Sirius take her bags up the stairs to the guest room. Remus and Tonks starting living at Grimmauld Place when it was willed to him by Harry. It was humorous to think that they were nearly using all of the space. With six children, Remus and Tonks had a lot to handle.

Sirius James Lupin, the oldest at only eight, was an extremely intelligent child, and a third year at Hogwarts. After Sirius was Harry Arthur Lupin, age five and a metamorphagus like Tonks, who often made his hair six feet longer than he was tall, and Charlie Ronald Lupin, at age four and a very shy and quiet boy, very much like his father. Next was Molly-Ginevra Lilly Lupin, or Lil, at two and a half, the only girl and also a metamorphagus with an obsession with the color pink, and the twins, Fred William and George Percy, at nine months old. Luckily they haven't shown metamorphic abilities.

Hermione had so much fun just watching Remus and Tonks take care of them all. Worst of all, she knew that there would be more kids coming, knowing Tonks.

Hermione walked into the room quietly enough and found Fred and George magically, and accidentally, making their food fly in all directions. Remus was simply scrubbing dishes manually; Tonks was smiling as she watched her boys and everyone turned to Hermione when she entered.

"Hermione! How are you?" Tonks flew from her chair to give her a great hug. Her hair was a bright red color and her eyes were bright green. Hermione hugged her tightly and smiled.

"The usual, but it's great to be here!" She smiled the best she could and Tonks and Remus grabbed a twin each and led everyone into the living room where the brightly decorated tree was. Lil was playing a game of wizarding chess with Harry, and even though Lil was two years old, Hermione was sure that she could easily defeat her any day. Charlie was reading a potions book, surprisingly enough and Sirius was just looking around.

Hermione sat down on the couch next to the smiling Sirius.

"How have your holidays been?" She smiled.

"They've been great Prof- I mean Aunt Hermione." He smiled and then had a questioning look on his face. "How did I do on my exam? I have been so worried about it all week." He looked at her anxiously.

"Sirius, you did great. Don't worry about it. It's Christmas!" She looked around at the smiling faces and a green flash erupted from the floo. Out stepped a tall and thin man carrying a leather satchel.

"Severus!" Remus said as he stood with baby Fred and shook his hand.

"Good to see you all. Merry Christmas." Hermione noticed that he looked remotely festive. He didn't have the usual scowl on his face.

"Uncle Severus, Uncle Severus!" Charlie screamed from his spot on the couch and set the potions book aside. He ran up and hugged Severus' legs. "Guess what? Guess what?"

"Whatever could it be, Charlie?" Severus said as cheerily as he could and Hermione could not help but let her mouth hang to the floor.

"I have read the potion book you got me _seven_ times!" He smiled hugely and Snape looked surprised.

"And did you learn anything?"

"Yeah!" Charlie smile and started to list the different things. Severus looked at him, impressed, as he continued on and on.

Hermione watched, smiling inwardly, and a half an hour later Remus and Tonks announced it was time to open presents. All the kids cheered and jumped around. They passed out gifts and wrapping paper spread like wild fire around the room.

Sirius got himself a brand new broom, Harry got a new wizarding chess set, and Charlie was thrilled when he got his first elementary potions kit. Lil was playing with her new dolls when Severus walked up to Hermione and placed a small gift in her lap. She looked at it strangely.

"What is it, Severus?" She looked at him strangely.

"A gift." She smiled and reached around her for a small envelope to give him.

"I have a gift for you too, but I don't want you to open it until you are back at Hogwarts." He nodded and she looked at the gift him her hands. She shook it playfully and then opened it. Inside it was a beautiful bracelet. She looked up at him and demanded an explanation with her eyes alone.

"It's actually an heirloom. When I was younger, my grandmother gave me it to give to the damsel I saved. I know it's really not necessary, but I had it lying around. She used to tell me fairy tales all the time. She told me one day I would be brave like the warriors in the stories. Even today I don't consider myself heroic, but I would love it ifyou kept it." She looked up at him confused and blinked rapidly, trying to clear her eyes of the tears that were more than willing to fall.

"Thank you." She whispered weakly and he slipped it around her wrist without her noticing. He walked back over to play with Charlie and his potions kit. Remus and Tonks watched the entire display affectionately as the kids played with their toys and the adults sipped hot cocoa until late that night.

* * *

_AN: Lucky me, the college student. I have been doing pretty well, but, sadly, I am not going to be able to post new chapters all the time. Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed. I appreciate it greatly. I should have the next chapter soon and believe me, I am excited about it._


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five: New Years Eve**

Hermione spent the week after Christmas with the Lupins. Tonks claimed that she needed a babysitter, but Hermione assumed that they just wanted to keep her from being too upset during the holidays. Hermione actually found that it did help to be busy.

When she wasn't losing to Lil at wizard chess, she was helping the exceedingly bright, young, Charlie brew his very first batch of silly serum.

When New Years Even came along, Remus and Tonks decided they wanted a break so they left Hermione and Sirius to watch the kids.

Everything was going great. She had no difficulty monitoring the twins and seeing to the rest of them; she was a witch. At around five p.m., she was holding the sleeping twins in her arms, and was finally able to relax slightly, when Sirius came running down the stairs.

"Professor!" He screamed as he nearly tripped on the rug to get to her. She was now thankful that she remembered to put a light silencing charm around the twins like Tonks had advised her to do. She laid them down in the muggle playpen she got the family when Harry was born.

"Shh. What is it, Sirius?" He was still breathing heavily.

"It's Charlie. He's sick!' He looked briefly upstairs. "You have to hurry!"

She quickly followed Sirius up the stairs and when she got there, she found Harry crying in a corner and Charlie violently shaking on top of broken chess pieces.

"What happened?" She stood in shock, remembering the last thing to do in a situation like this is panic.

"We don't know!" He was crying rivers, "Do something!"

She pulled out her wand and cast a few harmless diagnoses charms. Nothing happened, meaning that nothing was detected by the charms. She shook her head strangely.

"You weren't using magic, were you Sirius?" She wasn't accusing, just questioning.

"No!" He was on the verge of hyperventilating. "What's wrong with my brother!"

"Sirius. You have to calm down. Go and owl your parents!" He ran silently from the room. "Harry, honey, I need you to go keep an eye on Lil and the twins." He nodded.

"I wish that Uncle Severus was here." He muttered as he walked out of the room and solemnly went down the stairs. Hermione stood and looked at the convulsing boy, not knowing what she could and should do. She quickly went to the upstairs drawing room and grabbed a handful of floo powder.

She stuck her head into the green flames and could see Severus sitting at the couch in front of the fireplace. He had an envelope with her handwriting in his lap and her letter in his hands.

"Thank Merlin, you are here!"

"Hermione?"

"No time for questions, Severus hurry!" She looked at the letter once more and left the floo. Seconds later, Severus popped through the fireplace.

"Hermione, what's wrong?"

"It's Charlie. He's convulsing." He immediately rushed down the hallway to Charlie's room. Lying in the middle was a motionless young boy, his blonde hair dripping in sweat. Hermione saw from the corner. "I shouldn't have left him." She began to cry. Severus reached down and felt for a pulse.

"He still has a pulse, but it is weak. I need to take him to St. Mungo's." He lifted him carefully and apparated away. Hermione went down the stairs to find Sirius on the couch crying with his brothers and sister, while the twins continued to sleep. He heard Hermione crying from the stairwell and looked over to her, sadness present in his features.

"He's not going to die, is he?" Hermione's heart broke at the sound of the sweet little girl's voice. Lil was standing directly in front of her, looking up. A tear escaped her eyes as she reach down and pulled her into a hug and shook her head fiercely.

"No, sweetie. I won't let him." She whispered in her little ear.

They were sitting on the couch hours later when they heard the distinct pop and thud of Tonks and Remus in the kitchen. Hermione could hear them shuffling to get to the living room.

"Hermione! What's wrong?" Hermione could only shake her head.

"Go to St. Mungo's." She whispered quietly as she continued to hang onto the crying kids. Remus and Tonks looked fearfully at Hermione and apparated immediately.

They arrived in the lobby and immediately saw Severus' billowing black robes, pacing across the room. They ran to him and physically had to stop him.

"Severus?" Remus looked at him with tears in his eyes. Severus went pale.

"Is he… a-alive?" Tonks was terrified, but had to ask. Severus swallowed deeply and opened his mouth to speak.

* * *

AN: And I can't believe I left you with a cliffie... Is Charlie alive, or is Charlie dead? Any guesses. That two cliffies, and I hope to review soon. Enjoy 


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: A Rare Case**

"He's a… he is a-alive." He heard both Tonks and Remus sigh. "But only just." Remus looked curiously at Severus and a tear fell from his cloudy blue eye.

"What do you mean?" He was barely audible.

"The Mediwitches have been forced to put him in a magically induced homeostasis coma. They had to prevent his situation from worsening."

"Severus, what is his situation? When can we see him? Where is he?" She looked around frantically.

"He has pre-lycanthropy syndrome. It's never been recorded, but they have assumed that it's possible to pass on the werewolf trait onto children. They don't know why only Charlie has it, and not Harry or Sirius. Right now, they aren't sure that they _don't_ have it."

"Pre-lycanthropy syndrome? I gave him this." Remus spoke with a silent rage. "I am killing my own son." Tonks grabbed his arm and pulled him around to face her.

"He is not going to die, and it's not your fault." She whispered barely inches from his face.

"Severus, what can they do for him?" At this question, Severus nearly choked on his reply. He swallowed deeply.

"Only a cure for lycanthropy can cure him." Between the people in the background at the hospital and his whispering, it was a surprise that anyone heard him.

"There is no cure for lycanthropy." Tonks said sadly, and then turned around to hug her husband and cry into his shoulder. "My baby," she miserably whined into his arm, "I want to see my baby." Severus looked at the two sorrowfully. Why did this have to happen to two people that have already been through so much in their life?

He quietly led them through the corridors of the hospital to where Charlie's bed was. He was surrounded in a thin purple force field from the charm. Neither Remus and Tonks, nor anyone else could enter the field at the risk of disrupting the charm.

They watched from the edges as he would slowly breathe in and out, wondering when his last breath would be.

"Nymphadora, darling," he was still the only one allowed to call her that, "We need to get back to the kids." She nodded her head lightly and she, Remus and Severus apparated back. The first thing Nymphadora did was run and hug all of her babies. Remus watched in sadness and Hermione looked at the whole scene in horror. Even Severus was visibly upset.

Remus quietly pulled Severus into the other room when he saw his wife sit down and cry with her children.

"I know there had to be a reason why they put him in a coma. Is there a chance?" Severus looked Remus in the eye.

"I don't want to give you false hope, but I am willing to try anything to create a Lycanthropy cure. I suggested the coma. They only last so long, and time is ticking. I have to start immediately. I am going to need a test subject, but I will do anything." He was feeling so miserable right now. What if he couldn't cure lycanthropy? What if he failed? What if he had just given Remus false hope?

"Severus," he paused, trying to regain his composure, "hope is all I have. Please save my little boy. Save my Charlie. If I lose him, I will lose everything." His tears freely fell from his eyes again and Severus was looking directly at the floor.

This was it. He had no choice but to save the boy. Remus and his family were the only real family he had ever had. Charlie had so much to live for and he couldn't let that go to waste. He mustered all the courage he could to look into the gentle werewolf's eyes.

"I will save him." Remus smiled and gave him a hug only a true brother could give. The thank you was wordless. Remus let go and went to go and sit with his wife and children. Severus stood, rooted to the spot. A short while later, Hermione joined him. He acknowledged her with a nod and stood next to him.

"What is going to happen to him?" She whispered sadness in her voice.

"I need your help." She looked up to him questioningly. He looked her in the eyes. "I need your help to create a cure for lycanthropy. Charlie will die without it. We don't have long. Please, will you help?" She was shocked to hear it and she didn't want to believe, either. She knew that Potions Masters have been trying to find the cure for ages.

"Is this possible?" She was feeling sick to her stomach. "They have been trying for years. Can we cure lycanthropy?" She was crying and he reached his hand out to brush away a tear.

"It has to be." He now cried too. She took a step closer to him and wrapped her arms around him. He snaked his arms around her back and rubbed small circles between her shoulder blades.

"I will help you." She whispered into his ear and pulled away. She walked up to the guest room and retrieved her belongings. She was back in no less than three minutes. "We have to start as soon as possible."

"Let's inform Remus and the family that we are leaving." She nodded and they walked into the room. Remus looked up at them and bowed his head silently.

"Thank you." He swallowed harshly and squeezed his crying wife again. "For everything."

They both grabbed some floo powder and floo-ed to Hogwarts to begin their work immediately.

_AN: Thanks for all of the reviews. This is my first story EVER and they make me feel really special. They could all be flames and I would still feel important. Can a romance evolve from a partnership? Do you think that in discovering (or not) the cure, they might just discover something else? P.S. I couldn't kill Charlie._


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven: The Room of Requirement**

Albus Dumbledore sat at his desk, twiddling his thumbs, and waiting for Hermione and Severus to show up in his office. When he heard the gargoyle leap aside, he knew to open the door for his visitors.

"What is it you need us for, Albus?" Severus said, Hermione close behind him.

"I was wondering when you two would show up. Perhaps I should have placed the message I left you in the Potions Lab instead of the lavatory." His eyes twinkled spectacularly.

"We really do have work to do. Is there a reason why you wanted us here?" Hermione looked at him questioningly.

"I know you both have to work to do. Young Charlie depends upon the cure, but you are not going to be able to get anything done with classes. As Hogwarts rules require, a teaching position must be cleared before it can be filled again. I need you to agree to a temporary resignation."

"Have you already found people to replace us?" Severus looked somewhat distressed that he could be replaced so easily.

"Yes. A ministry auror will be assigned to the Defense against the Dark Arts classes, and a young potions master from Spain will be teaching your classes, Severus."

"Is he capable?"

"I have no reason to doubt him, but seeing as you will be working very diligently, it is required that your post be filled by another."

"We understand." Hermione nudged Severus slightly with her elbow. Albus picked up a bowl of yellow candies.

"Lemon drop?" They both declined friendly. "I'll need you both to sign a few papers regarding your resignation, and then you can be off." He waved his wand and to sheets of parchment appeared along with magical quills. Hermione signed her quickly and glanced up at Severus who had already handed his over.

"Albus? Severus and I have a lot of research that needs to be done and we don't know where we could find the right materials or location. Do you have any suggestions?" He appeared to be deep in thought.

"Ah, yes. I believe I have the perfect idea. I haven't personally used it for instances like this, so I don't know if it will work, but you should try to get the Room of Requirement to suit your needs." It looked as though a light bulb had gone off in Hermione's head. "Now, children," Severus scoffed, "I believe you have plenty to do." They nodded their heads and walked down the stairs and through the entrance.

Instead of walking to the dungeons, they both let their feet lead them to the Room of Requirement to test the Headmaster's theory. When they reached where the doors should be, Hermione looked up towards Severus.

"What should we want the room to become?"

"A place we can live and work until we find a cure." He stated simply.

"Okay. A place with a Potions library and lab, two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a fully stocked kitchen?"

"Yes, and all the ingredients that could be used in a Potions lab. If this works, then we could save a significant amount of money."

They both paced three times around where the door should be, and thought about the place they described to each other. When they stopped, before them was a large door. Hermione gripped the steel handle and pulled it open, stepping into the dimly lit room. Upon entrance, it lit up spectacularly.

Inside was a large living room with a fire place that had floo powder just to the right of it, a large kitchen complete with food adjacent to the living room, two bedrooms, one of green and silver, the other of maroon and gold, a great library stacked with books, a large potions lab filled with cauldrons, and the largest supply room Severus had ever seen.

"Wow. Why haven't I ever thought to use this room like this before?" Hermione was looking around in amazement.

"The same reason you never thought to shrink your schoolbooks." He said simply.

"Why didn't I ever think to do that?" She looked at him strangely.

"Because." He bit his tongue before continuing with what he was going to say.

"Well?"

"You, being a Gryffindor, probably took pride in having so many classes and wanted to flaunt it by carrying around mounds of books." She glared at him.

"Okay, I realize I walked into that one, but if we are going to work together we are going to have to try and get along. None of your silly Gryffindor biases."

"If I agree to that, you have to agree to explain the letter you gave me for Christmas."

"What is it you want me to explain?" He looked at her thoughtfully remembering the first time he read the piece of parchment.

_Dear Severus,_

_I don't know how to explain what I feel towards you, but I think that you understand,_

_Love_

_Hermione Granger_

"Do you remember what you wrote?" He asked curiously.

"Yes."

"'_I think that you understand'_." He paused, "What do you think I understand? I have read the letter thousands of times, but I still don't get it."

"Okay, so my memory is a little sketchy." She grimaced slightly, remembering that she wrote a little more than a sentence.

"Yes, I daresay." He chuckled lightly.

"What I meant to say is that I feel like I owe you something for saving me that night." She said seriously. "Now that I am over hating you and blaming you, I feel like I am supposed to repay you somehow, but I don't know how." He frowned slightly.

"You owe me nothing." She refused to make eye contact with him. "I think you are confusing the way you feel about me saving you and the way I felt towards Harry's father for saving me. I felt I owed him something because he saved me even though he hated me."

"Well, I was under the impression that you hated me up until the night I woke up from that nightmare."

"Why?" He looked at her questioningly and a tear escaped her eye.

"Because I was a 'Gryffindor know-it-all' and friends with Harry."

He walked over to her, imagining what he would have felt and then he turned her gently around to look at him.

"I didn't hate Harry, nor did I hate you. There are very few people that I have ever hated. I didn't save you that night because I hated you." She stepped away from him.

"Why did you save me?" She was shivering. Severus knew she wasn't ready for the whole truth. He thought quickly for the correct substitute. He steadied himself and looked away briefly.

"I saved you because I admire you." She looked him curiously, thinking to herself that she wished he had admired someone else. This was as good an answer as she expected to get from him, so she had to reason to argue.

"Fine."

"Fine?"

"Yes. We need to start working… and fast." She looked at her watch. "We've been here twenty minutes and haven't started anything." Severus blinked and started to head towards the lab where they would start the preliminary notes.

* * *

_AN: My story keeps shifting from where I thought it would be, to where it is now; but I like it. I have a lot to do this weekend, but I hope to update soon. Smiles._


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight: Fearing Werewolves**

Hermione finally gave up on finding out why Severus saved her. She knew that Charlie was at the top of her list. They had been researching books in the Room of Requirement for nearly two straight weeks, stopping only to sleep, eat and use the bathroom. But, as expected, they weren't progressing. They hadn't got much further than any other experimenters, and they had so many resources they didn't have. Worst of all, Charlie's condition was worsening as

They both knew not to give up. They would spend less and less time sleeping and use more and more energy restoratives. When Severus noticed Hermione was leaning over her book, apparently asleep, he knew that it was indeed taking a toll on her. She was physically weaker. He could basically assume he was as well, but Charlie was top priority.

He stood from his desk across the room from her and walked over to where she was. Her hair was tangled up in her quill, and drenched in black ink. She looked positively gruesome, even for her. When he gently shook her, she still didn't move. He decidedly picked her up and moved her to her bedroom so she could sleep a little longer.

He went back to clean the ink off of her workspace. He glanced at the pages of her book and strangely enough found that the ink surrounding a single paragraph. He picked the book up and read it.

"_The creation of the Wolfsbane potion came from the combination of the ingredients aconite and an a hair from a werewolf. As it is in their nature to be especially nasty during the full stages of moon, the hair is collected a week after the transformation. To brew a better batch, the hair from the werewolf that is to digest the potion is required."_

Snape looked at this curiously. He had no idea that the potion would be stronger if the werewolves' own hair was added instead of any werewolves' hair. He had always bought this highly expensive ingredient from the apothecary. He couldn't help but stare on at the page, wondering what else he didn't know.

He read through the entire book, not learning anything else new. But this little bit of information lead him on a research spree to find out more. He tore through the book selection on the properties of werewolf parts.

Hermione roused from her sleep hours later and walked out into the living room to question Severus why she was covered in black ink and inside of her bedroom when she found him slouched against the couch with a book hanging over his knee and his head bowed in his hands. He was breathing heavily and she questioned whether or not he was awake.

"Severus?" He stirred lightly and looked up at her. "Are you okay?" She stared at his unusually pale face. He was sweaty and crying lightly.

"Blood."

"What? Where?" She looked around carefully. "Severus, what is it?"

"We need werewolves' blood to find the cure. Specifically non-wolfsbane blood, and Remus' blood." He was shivering. She knelt down next to him, completely forgetting how terrible she looked and felt.

"How are we going to get it?"

"I have to."

"Is that going to be a problem?" She felt absolutely stupid. Of course it was going to be a problem. He feared werewolves more than anything else. He only faced the werewolf her third year to save their life. "No, Severus. I understand. If you want I can do it."

"No!" He said angrily. "You may be a bloody Gryffindor, but you aren't putting yourself in danger."

"It's your biggest fear!" She looked at him in defiance. "I will be just fine."

"I will do it."

"I still don't understand. How did you stumble upon this, and how long have I been sleeping?" She was now sitting on the floor next to him.

"I put you in your bedroom about eight hours ago. I went to clean up your workplace because you spilt your ink," he grabbed her hair, causing her to blush lightly, "and I looked at the book and noticed a paragraph surrounded by the ink. I read it and there it was. It told me about the use of the personal werewolves' hair. I was intrigued by the discovery and went on a rampage to find more, when I stumbled on this." He handed her the book and she looked at it.

"_It has long been believed that the blood of a full werewolf, on the night of a full moon, could hold the cure for lycanthropy. Unfortunately, such a substance has never been retrieved. A mixture between the blood of a werewolf and aconite, often known as wolf's bane, could be a possible solution."_

"I get it." She said quietly, letting it all sink in. "So, we know a werewolf."

"And we will have to find a way to retrieve his blood." Severus continued.

"While he isn't under the influence of the Wolfsbane potion." She felt herself trembling with each word.

"During the full moon." He looked directly at Hermione, tears in his eyes, her eyes mirroring his own.

"Before it is too late for Charlie." And owl flew in at her words. She flinched slightly. She could feel her arm resting against his. He reached out and the owl landed on his leg. He pulled the letter from his talon and it flew away.

He read the note carefully, taking in every single word.

He looked at Hermione sadly.

"Charlie is going faster than expected."

"How long do we have?" She said, feeling something horrid rising in her throat.

"Three months at the longest. They predicted sixth months when they cast the charm, but the ailment is obviously having a strange affect on him. They think that his wolf instincts are fighting the homeostasis affect."

"That gives us a month to gather the blood, and a month for preliminary tests to run on Remus."

"Yes. And that is going to be difficult. Adding the blood to aconite isn't going to be easy. Aconite combusts with certain levels of iron. Adding too much blood to it could easily destroy all of Hogwarts, but not adding enough blood could label the potion ineffective. We still have to find an acceptable ingredient to counteract the iron in the blood, otherwise it is useless."

"How are we going to do this?" She felt herself getting sicker and sicker. Tears were falling helplessly down her face.

"We will find a way. I have a colleague who has studied the properties of blood and the levels of iron in it. If he can't help, we can do it, Hermione. We have to believe." Tears fell from his eyes too. "For Remus and Nymphadora, and all of their children." She smiled half-heartedly, feeling her stomach start to rest a little. "For Charlie."

* * *

_**AN: Methinks that this chapter is one of my favorites. Even Severus Snape has fears and hopefully you all caught the little flicker of love... I hope you all enjoy it. There should be more on the way later this week. I can't wait for it to snow!**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine: Visiting Remus**

Severus was quick to contact his colleague the next day. He was very curious about their research and offered to help, as long as he was given some of the credit in discovering a cure. Severus, of course, did not care who got credit. He was trying to save a dying child, first and foremost.

Hermione was given the task of talking to Remus about collecting his blood. She didn't know the details, but she knew she had to get his consent first.

At ten o'clock, she floo-ed to Grimmauld Place to discuss the next step in finding the cure. When she arrived, Tonks was feeding the twins. She smiled half-heartedly at Hermione.

"Where can I find Remus?" She nodded her head towards the living room.

"He's reading Harry and Lil a story, last I know, but they could all be napping too." Hermione frowned remembering how much Charlie's health was disrupting the happiness of the family. She wanted to fix it all and she felt it was her duty to because of how much Remus and Tonks helped to make her feel better after the attack at the Burrow.

"Thank you." Tonks wrestled a spoon away from Fred. They always dressed one in stripes and one in plaid to be able to tell the difference.

"Afterwards, do you think I could have a word with you?" Hermione smiled.

"Of course." Tonks tried to return the smile, but couldn't. Hermione walked through the door into the living room to find Remus holding a sleeping Lil and Harry on his lap. She walked up quietly and gently tapped him.

"Remus, are you awake?" He opened his eyes quickly out of shock.

"Hermione, how are you?" She couldn't help but frown. No matter what Remus was going through, he couldn't help but be cordial.

"I was wondering if we could talk."

"Yes, give me a moment." He easily picked them both up with him and disappeared upstairs. He was back in a few moments. "What is it?" He tried to play casual, but she knew that he was just as tense and she was trying to find a cure for his son.

"It's about you."

"Okay." He said hesitantly.

"Well, Severus found some interesting information that he didn't know previously. He thinks there is a possibility of finding the cure, but in order to create it, we need to collect werewolf blood."

"I see." He sat down and she followed. He leaned over, resting his elbows on his knees. "The full moon comes in a week and a half."

"Yes, and unfortunately we have to collect it from a werewolf that hasn't taken Wolfsbane potion." He shuddered at the thought.

"Hermione, you do understand how hard that could be. I don't even know what I do when I transform, but I could easily kill whoever was collecting the blood."

"We have considered that, but we need the blood and we have to collect it the next full moon."

"It's not going to be easy." He was breathing heavy. "I don't want you or Severus to get hurt."

"We want to do this for Charlie."

"Is it worth your life to risk getting the blood to _possibly_ cure my son?" Remus asked and Hermione let out a loud breath.

"We have faith that the blood will work, and yes it is worth it." Hermione was on the brink of tears. "We would both do anything for him, Remus."

"I know." Remus was silently sobbing into his own sleeve. Hermione walked over to where he was and sat down next to him and hugged him. He hugged her back tightly.

"This is going to be really hard, Hermione. Are you sure that it can be done?"

"Yes." Remus let go and stood up.

"Then I consent to not taking the Wolfsbane. I think we should have a designated safe spot where this can all take place. I don't want to release myself to the world in my werewolf form."

"I understand. The night of your transformation, we are going to have you in a room, chained up. I hope you don't mind."

"I won't even know."

"Okay. I needed your permission."

"Permission granted." Hermione stood from the couch and walked over to give Remus yet another hug. He returned it and they both walked into the kitchen to find Tonks covered in peas.

"That's my Georgie-boy." Remus began to laugh lightly. He scourgified his wife.

"I have to talk to Hermione; you think you can take the boys?" Tonks asked, handing Fred to Remus.

"Sure." He pecked her on the cheek and left the room, a baby in each arm.

Hermione remained relatively silent as she and Tonks both sat down at the table. Tonks was frowning miserably for a good two minutes before she broke down in tears. Hermione quickly moved to where she was and put her arms around her consolingly, remembering very well all she and Tonks went through together, close to nine years ago.

"What is it?" Hermione said as she combed Tonks' dark brown hair back.

"I should be really happy right now." She said through sobs. Hermione tried to piece it all together but was still very confused.

"Why, sweetie? Why should you be really happy?" She mumbled something into Hermione's shoulder. Hermione could vaguely make out part of the sentence. She pulled Tonks away from her and looked into her eyes. "What is it, Tonks?" Tonks let out a hiccup.

"I'm pregnant." She frowned and began to cry. Hermione hugged her and smiled into shoulder.

"That's great news." She whispered near her ear.

"But I can't help but want to cry for my Charlie."

"That's only human. Charlie is your baby, but you have to believe that everything is going to be just fine." Tonks nodded miserably.

"But I can't bring myself to tell Remus. How do I?" Hermione shook her head sorrowfully.

"Just tell him. You need to be happy in a moment like this. You have another baby on the way and now that is your duty. Remus will be happy too. And when Charlie is better, you know he will be ecstatic."

"Remus is already worried that he might have infected Harry, Sirius, Lil, or the twins. He will worry about this baby too."

"You have to tell him, everything will be okay." She hugged Tonks tightly again and cried tears for her friends. She left a half an hour later, feeling miserable. She wanted nothing more than to fix their family again. For years, she admired how wonderful it must be to be Remus or Tonks, but now, they were going through a rough patch. In moments like this, Hermione would forget all about her own problems, believing them to be entirely pathetic in comparison.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten: Preparations**

When she arrived back at the Room of Requirement, she found Severus digging through piles and piles of research.

"Master Grecia has floo-ed over his research on the iron contents of blood. I have been digging and digging. I was hoping to find something on werewolf blood, but I don't think he has it. We will have to figure out how to add the blood and aconite together after we have collected the blood." He sighed and flung himself into the chair. Hermione let herself fall down onto one of the couches.

"Remus agreed. We have a week and a half to figure out how we are to extract the blood."

"We will lock him in one of the dungeons here." Hermione half-snorted.

"You mean the dungeons Filch tried to scare us with?"

"Yes, they exist. It is a shame that they let the old punishments die." Hermione looked at him big-eyed. "Students used to be sent down there to _clean_ them and now, without old punishments, they are an utter mess." Hermione heard a brief flutter of wings in her bedroom.

"I suppose." She left momentarily and returned a few seconds later with a sealed envelope.

"What is that?"

"The most recent letter from St. Mungo's. I am afraid to open it." He walked over to her and gently placed his hands over hers and slid the envelope away. He half-smiled and cracked open the wax seal. She was looking directly at his dark eyes as they darted from one side of the page to the next. He closed the letter and looked directly into her own eyes.

"He's no better." Hermione sniffed lightly. "And… he is no worse. Their suspicions are indeed the same as before." Severus placed his hands on her shoulders gently.

"We still have to collect the blood, test the iron levels, math out and create the new lycanthropy potion, and test it on Remus, first… before we give it to Charlie."She said expasperatedly. Snape shook his head.

"No. I have been thinking." She looked at him questioningly. "What if the other children contract the same ailment? It's not very often werewolves go off and have families so we have no idea if Charlie is the only one with disease." Hermione stared unblinkingly as she waited for his explanation. "We will have to collect and test the blood, create the potion, also ensuring that it stays preserved for a long period of time, and test the potion on another werewolf besides Remus."

"We will have to be able to get more blood even if it did work. I didn't think about that. So, we have to find another werewolf somewhere?"

"I know one, coincidentally. He used to be a neighbor of mine before the ministry removed him to a remote island. He is alive still and I try to send him a Christmas present every year to let him know that people still believe he exists." Hermione smiled inwardly at his strange friendliness. Her shoulders still felt warm from his hands rubbing circles against her back. How it felt so normal, she had no clue.

"Do you think he will let you test the lycanthropy cure on him?"

"I do."

"Where is he exactly and what is his name?"

"He's on a small island just off of Finland. Rupert Flemmon." He let the name float around in the air and Hermione felt his warm hands leave her shoulders quite suddenly.

* * *

Hermione and Severus spent the rest of the week continuing the research that would be necessary to create the potion. She derived the exact procedure the day before she and Severus were to go extract the blood.

They decided that the easiest way to get blood from Remus would be through sedating him in some form. They both knew a potion wouldn't work because it would change the composition of his blood, so they were forced to research different way to incapacitate a werewolf.

Hermione stumbled upon the perfect method while she was digging through the library and found the book 'Sleeping Enemies'. It was strangely enough located in the wizarding fiction section of the library, but upon further investigation of the book, she discovered it named many different ways to render your enemies incapable of moving.

She found one spell, _Lycanthrocorporatus_, which would freeze a werewolf in his spot for up to two hours, depending on the magical abilities of the witch or wizard. She brought the spell to Severus and both celebrated that night, a day and a half before the full moon, by going to sleep at midnight instead of the usual, three in the morning.

The next morning they went to the dungeons and cleaned a room for Remus to stay in during the full moon, and examined the surrounding walls, ensuring that there was no possible way to escape. They cast encasement charms around the walls, just in case.

They floo-ed Remus telling him the time and when he came over later that day, he was looking incredibly pale and sick. Hermione and Severus both knew that transforming into a werewolf was extremely painful and dangerous, but also knew that Remus would do anything for his son.

_**AN: Short chapter, I admit, but there will be more. Sorry it took so long to update. Next chapter, Hermione and Severus act as vampires and extract some of Remus' blood. **_


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven: Extraction**

At exactly midnight, both Hermione and Severus watched as their friend transformed from something human to something animal. It was entirely gruesome as his flesh tore and stretched and his bones realigned to accommodate his new form.

Severus took several calming draughts that night. Hermione never thought Severus would be the nervous type, and she hadn't ever seen him behave this way before, but she knew that this must have been a huge fear of his.

Severus took out his wand and approached the door to the room Remus was in. He knew Remus was locked and chained, but that didn't ease him much. He opened the door cautiously and looked around. The werewolf was struggling to move around. He reached his wand out and cast _Lycanthrocorporatus_. Instantly the werewolf froze and Severus thanked god that Hermione found such a spell.

He lightly stepped his way around the werewolf and gently prodded him to assure he was indeed asleep. He took out his syringe and poked it into the hairy wolf. Blood came flowing into the needle. Severus took only as much as would be needed, ensuring that he didn't hurt his friend any. He stepped away with the blood in his hand and didn't hear the rustling behind him. Hermione, on the other side of the door, stood frozen.

Severus turned around to stare down his fear once more. When he saw only feet on the floor, he knew something was wrong. For what seemed like hours, he raised his vision to that of the angry werewolf. The chains still held him down, but Severus would need a miracle to get out of that room alive. He didn't move a single bit and stared directly into the cold black eyes of werewolf/Remus.

"Hermione." He uttered the only thing that came to his mind. She moved from her spot, but only slightly. She didn't know what she would do to save him. She couldn't kill Remus, but she had to save Severus. Tonks would never forgive her for killing her husband, nor would Severus for that matter, but she didn't think she would be able to save him if she didn't use a really powerful spell. Finally, after many seconds deliberation, she flung the door open and flashed her wand.

* * *

It was hours later when Severus finally awoke. He was lying in the infirmary, a light warmth resting on his chest, and something soft and brown blocking his view. He reached his hand up curiously to move it away when whatever it was, stirred awake.

"Severus!" She gasped and he hummed lightly.

"Did I get the blood?" She nodded lightly. "And Remus?" Severus felt himself involuntarily cringe.

"I had to save you."

"Is he okay?"

"He is hurt." Hermione's head hung low. "I had to cast a form of the cruciatus curse to save you." She began to sob gently beside his bed. He placed his hand on Hermione's and squeezed it gently.

"You saved his life and you saved my life. If we are able to make this potion, which I have every confidence in, you saved Charlie's life too." He said quietly.

"Madame Pomfrey said that the combination between the curse and his loss of blood, may lead to a delayed recovery. She almost had to put him in a c-coma t-t-too." Hermione was now crying against Severus' chest where she was sleeping last night.

"I know he will be fine."

"But will he ever forgive me? I used the cruciatus." Severus was absently running his fingers through her hair.

"He will." He was feeling really sick to his stomach, but he held back the vomit he knew was coming. Hermione continued to rest on his chest, shaking involuntarily. "Has Nymphadora been informed?" His stomach continued to roll.

"Yeah." Hermione said quietly and heard Severus' stomach rumble. "She understood why I had to cast the spell, but I think that she will hate me if he doesn't make it out of this." She sat up, her eyes red with tears. "Are you feeling well, Severus?" His face turned pale as he finally felt his defenses giving up. Hermione knew what was coming and conjured up a bowl for Severus.

"Thank you." He muttered after he felt he had finished with his bout of nausea.

"I would give you a nausea potion but it would in-"

"Interfere with my blood-replenishing potion." He finished, so confident with his observation.

"No." Hermione shook her head and he looked at her curiously.

"Then why can't I take the potion? The only other thing it reacts badly with is Wolfs-" He swallowed hard and closed his eyes. "Hermione?" She turned away, afraid to look into his eyes. "Hermione, did he bite me?" He was serious as she had ever heard him. She nodded her head vigorously and ran from the room, tears in her eyes again. He sat up and looked over his body. Sure enough, below his right knee, was a small nip, but none-the-less, a werewolf bite.

* * *

_AN: Sorry again... that took forever. College sucks._


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve: New Circumstances**

When Severus heard that he had been bitten by the werewolf, he didn't know what to do. After Hermione ran from the room, he tried to breath, but found it was too difficult to. He screamed loudly in frustration until the nurses at St. Mungo's had been forced to put a silencing charm on his room and give him a throat lozenge of sorts. Hermione stood on the outside of the door, wondering what she was going to do.

When she no longer heard the muffled cries of him, she walked into the room, tears still staining her face. He had a calm expression on his face. One of both sadness and fear, but he wasn't as angry as he was earlier.

"Severus?"

"I'm okay." He said quietly.

"Are you?" She was at his bedside and she found his hand and gripped it tightly. "I'm sorry. I should have looked into the spell more. It only lasted barely ten minutes for you."

"No, this isn't your fault, and I will be fine in no time. As soon as the cure is made, I will be back to normal." Hermione immediately began to cry loudly at his bedside. Her hand was still clasped in his own and she was kneeling at his side.

"How am I going to do this without you?" Severus looked at her dumbfounded.

"I am just going to be gone during the full moon, Hermione, and besides, we will have another test subject." She shook her head somberly.

"The nurses say that you don't have the regular werewolf characteristics, and you symptoms are more similar to Charlie's." His pale face, paled further.

"How do they know?"

"I don't know, but they said they expect you to remain awake for, at most, ten more hours. After which, they will have to put you in an induced coma." Tears fell down her face in currents.

"I believe in you, Hermione," was all he said as he pulled her hand up and she raised herself up to his level. He reached forward with his other hand a gently caressed her face. It was wet with tears and her normally twinkling eyes looked sad and dull. "You are amazing. Of course you can do it alone." She hiccupped and he gave her a rare and seemingly true smile.

"I will try." Was all she could manage before he placed his fingers over her lips and whispered three words, she never imagined hearing coming out of his mouth.

"I love you." She unconsciously leaned in and placed her lips on his and kissed him tenderly, feeling for once in the last eight years, truly loved again. She knew now why she had been saved that night. Not because of logic, or because he simply admired her, but because he loved her.

He leaned back and held her hand silently for the next hour and half, before allowing sleep to claim him, for the last time until a successful cure was found.

* * *

Hermione left his side and immediately floo-ed to Hogwarts. She had to find a cure all by herself and she knew it would be difficult. She had to use all of her time wisely. 

The very first thing she did was test the iron levels in werewolf blood. She was surprised to find that it was very similar to human blood. So similar, that it probably wasn't going to be necessary to add an extra agent to the lycanthropy cure for it to be stable.

She immediately began the process of testing all the possible ingredients, until she found the perfect combination of aconite and werewolf's blood.

Her research led her closer and closer to the cure, but she was losing days. She had only a few days before the next full moon, when she would test the potion on the unsuspecting Rupert Flemmon. She owled him and patiently waited for his reply, but it had yet to come.

When she saw a grayish owl fly into the room, she jumped from her chair only to realize that it was an owl from St. Mungo's. It had been a while since she had heard any news of Charlie's condition, and she supposed it was because it hadn't changed. She was now very worried to see what could have gone wrong. We she opened it, she nearly passed out, reading it.

_Professor Granger,_

_Charlie Lupin is currently not doing very well. Unless you can have the cure ready in the next week, we are afraid that the spells protecting him are going to fail to soon and he will be lost._

_Severus Snape also seems to be declining more rapidly than expected. We fear that he will soon be gone as well._

_Matron Marlin_

Hermione couldn't fathom less than a week to cure Charlie. She hadn't tested the potion and wasn't sure if she was ready to. She had the desired potion in mind and had it brewed, but was unsure of its effectiveness. She needed to test Remus first, but now that wasn't an option.

When she finally got the letter from Mr. Flemmon, agreeing to be tested she had to send a letter saying it was no longer necessary and that if the potion did indeed work, she would be happy to brew him some. In the meantime, she had to go by instinct.

* * *

AN: I hope you enjoy. Sorry it takes so long to update... don't give up on me. 


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen: The Cure**

Hermione owled Remus and Tonks immediately to tell them that she had hopefully discovered the cure. She received word that they decided to finally take the kids to see Charlie, and were waiting in his room for her. When she stepped through the floo network with a vial of grayish potion in her hand, she couldn't have ever imagined being forced to do this.

She walked through the hallways to finally find all of the Lupins gathered around his much weakened force field. Matron Marlin was floo-ed to observe the event, though if anything were to have gone bad, there was nothing she could do. Hermione smiled half-heartedly at the now rounder Tonks, and walked around Sirius and Lils to stand by his bed.

Her hands were shaking with fear. Remus placed a calming hand on her shoulder and she turned around to face him, tears staining her face.

"It's going to work, Hermione. We believe in you more than anything." She let out a small sigh and began to cry harder. She, after wiping away a few tears, worked her way through the force field and uncorked the vial. If it didn't work, she would more than likely stupor into a depression so deep that she would never leave, and if it did work, she knew it wasn't the end of things. Severus was still in need of the potion, whose ingredients: werewolf blood, needed to be obtained still. But if she found out it worked, it would make her life mean something.

Using her Gryffindor courage, she placed the vial to his opened lips and poured it down his throat, wishing for him to open his eyes like nothing had happened. Everyone in the room seemed to be holding their breath. When the matron announced that he was in a stable condition, yet hadn't improved, Hermione thought she had failed. She fell to the ground and curled herself into a ball, waiting for the world to fall around her.

Remus and Nymphadora were holding Charlie's hand for the first time since he was taken ill, Sirius and his siblings were trying not to cry too much, but were having difficulties. Hermione was too zoned out to hear the sharp intake of air that was Remus' shock at seeing Charlie's opened eyes. She didn't hear him whisper momma, or feel Sirius shaking her. All she knew was that she had failed and that Severus was going to die.

The matron took her shaking form into another room and gave her calming draught to ease her nerves while Remus and Tonks continued to coddle their healthier boy. Sirius sneaked into the room with the Matron, to make sure that his Aunt Hermione was alright. He walked over to where she lay. Her eyes were emotionless and glazed over and she was shivering. He placed his hand on her cheek and felt her shudder underneath his touch.

"Aunt Hermione." He whispered concernedly, but she didn't answer. He placed another hand on her shoulder and shook her.

"Give the potion a few more minutes," the matron said as Sirius stared onto Hermione, wishing that she would listen. The minutes seemed to take forever, as Hermione continued to give no sign that she was alive. Finally after what seemed like an hour, but really was five minutes, when Sirius touched her shoulder, she blinked and looked at him.

"Aunt Hermione, are you okay?"

"I failed." She was now crying and saying gibberish under her breath. Charlie sat on the bed next to her and stroked her hair back.

"I don't know how you failed. Charlie is awake now." Hermione's eyes darted from the wall to Sirius' face.

"He's awake!" She said, trying her best to sit up.

"It took a while, but yeah. He opened his eyes and said 'mommy'." Hermione began crying again, but for a different reason. She stood from the bed and took Charlie's hand. He lead her to the bed where Charlie's hand was grasped tightly to his father's.

"Aunt Hermione." He croaked out silently. She walked to his bed with tears in her eyes and grabbed his hand.

"Yes, sweetie."

"Thank you." It was all he needed to say for her to laugh out of joy. Her day seemed to have brightened ten fold, until she saw the Matron rush into the room, her hair astray.

"What is it?" Remus hurriedly asked.

"It's Professor Snape." Hermione visibly paled.

* * *

_AN: Cliffie... I know... and sorry it was kinda sappy... but you will get your next chapter before the weekend is up... Smiles._


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen: Dumbledore's Intervention**

"What is wrong with Severus?" Hermione asked tentatively, gauging the matron's reaction.

"He has digressed. I don't know why, but his condition is worsening rapidly from the last time we check." Hermione rattled through her own brain.

"Remus, the full moon is three days from now, correct?" He nodded his head in consent. "I will need to extract more blood from you when the day comes. Now that we have the potion, I need that ingredient."

"I am all yours. And this time I hope you will take enough for me too."

"Yes, of course." Hermione nearly laughed at the absurdity of such a question, but was feeling to worried to do so. She quickly left the room and rushed back to Hogwarts. She needed to find a different method of locking Remus down so she could extract the blood. She knew that she couldn't just use the Lycanthrocorporatus charm because she wasn't strong enough.

When she stepped through the floo in the Room of Requirement, she saw Albus Dumbledore sitting on the couch, twiddling his thumbs.

"Headmaster!"

"Albus, dear. I hear that you have found the cure."

"It's true, but Severus is in a bad condition and I must brew more potion so I can save him."

"That's going to be an issue then, isn't it?" Hermione scowled impatiently at her former headmaster.

"Yes, well, how many times have you tried to extract blood from a werewolf?"

"I can't say I've tried, but I do have some advice for you, if that is what you are asking?" Hermione looked on him curiously. How the man always had the twinkle in his eyes, she did not know.

"Well?"

"You can't have the blood of Remus altered, correct?" Hermione nodded. "Well then you should look for a potion that will effectively disable him, but won't affect his blood."

"But how is that possible? The potion works because it runs through the blood stream."

"Yes, you're accurate in your assumption." She could see the twinkle shining more presently as he was on the verge of giving information to the girl. "But first it is absorbed through the walls of the stomach, correct?"

"Yes."

"Let's say you could make a potion that was ingested and affected the drinker, but never absorbed through the walls of the stomach."

"Master Noah, of course!" She began babbling on about how Master Noah had created potions that didn't pass through the lining of the stomach but worked effectively, and Dumbledore just smiled on at the intelligence of his student.

"Yes, I will leave you to your thoughts now Hermione. I know you will figure out what to do and Severus will be up and scowling once again," he said as he floo-ed back to his office. Hermione was left digging through pages of her research books, finding the articles Master Noah had written.

* * *

When the day came for Remus to get comfortable in his dungeon cell, Hermione was more than confident she was going to be able to extract the blood. She only felt foolish that she hadn't figured this out sooner, because she wouldn't even have to worry about gathering the ingredients quickly for Severus' sake.

She gave Remus the vial of orange fluid and told him to take it as soon as he can to when he was going to transform. She knew it would only last three hours and she needed a fully transformed werewolf and time to collect the blood.

When she saw Remus' werewolf form lying still in the enclosed room, she walked in and took out her syringe. She extracted close to a pint of blood, trying not to weaken Remus any. When she left the room, she went straight to her potions lab, entrusting Filch to watch the room as to assure that Remus did not find his way out, somehow.

She worked until the wee hours of the night, producing close to twelve batches of potion. One was for Remus, one for Rupert Flemmon, whom she promised she would tend to once she figured things out, and one for Severus. She would keep six of the vials for each of the Lupin kids, to ensure that what happened to Charlie would never happen to them. And the last one, she would give to the ministry so they could elect who should receive it, at least for now.

The cure was so important to her in many ways, now that it was finished. She thought of all the lives she would be helping with this cure. She was overwhelmed by how much it was going to change everything. When Remus finally awoke the following morning in his original form, she slipped him his vial of potion and let him take it, trusting that the next moon, he would be normal again.

At eight o'clock in the morning, she floo-ed to St. Mungo's where she knew Severus was. The matron said that he was still getting worse, but when Hermione pulled out the readied potion, she knew everything was going to be okay. It just had to be. When she uncorked the vial and poured the liquid down his throat, she waited and waited for some sort of reaction.

It felt like hours later when she was awakened by her own gasp as seeing Severus' eyes open. She reached her hand forward to caress his cheek and felt him smile underneath his touch.

"Hermione."

* * *

_AN: It's as if I have sort of become obsessed with slight cliffies... I will try to update asap... smiles._


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen: Severus Awakes**

"Yes, Severus, it's me." She giggled in delight at watching him move for the first time in weeks.

"You did it. I knew not to doubt you." She smiled, tears falling from her eyes. At that moment, Sirius walked into the room, followed by his sister.

"Uncle Sevy!" Lil squealed as she ran to his bedside and jumped up on him. Hermione laughed at his tiny grunt when she landed on top of his stomach.

"How are you, Lil?" He croaked, his voice unused for so long.

"Good. Charlie's awake!" Severus smiled, feeling his eyes filling with tears, looking up at Hermione. She was just as stunning as he remembered her. She was still holding onto his hand as though it were her lifeline.

"How is your Daddy?" Hermione asked to see if he had awaken from his long night or not.

"Still sleeping but the medlywitch-"

"Medi-witch, Lil." Sirius corrected her.

"Yeah, the medlywitch," Sirius was now shaking his head, "said that he'll be awake in no time." Hermione just laughed at the little girl. Tonks waddled into he room a little later carrying the twins.

"Nymphadora, you are looking larger than the last time I saw you." Severus said as he noticed her expanding belly.

"Watch it, Severus. You may have just been saved from a near death experience but that doesn't mean I won't hesitate to hex you." Her moodiness causing everyone in the room, except Severus to smirk. "Are you doing well?"

"I'm alive aren't I?" He felt Hermione squeeze his hand tightly. Tonks only nodded and smiled.

"That's great. I just want to thank the both of you for saving our baby." Hermione could see tears were welling in her eyes.

"Not a problem. But I would give most of the credit to this amazing young woman right here." Hermione blushed and Tonks laughed lightly.

"Well, kids, let's go check on Charlie, and give Aunt Hermione and Uncle Severus some time alone." The kids both smiled and left the room to leave Hermione and Severus alone.

"I was afraid I lost you." Hermione spoke first, ever the Gryffindor.

"I was afraid too, but I know how great you really are and I knew I would be fine." Severus replied honestly and pulled her to lie next to him on the hospital bed. She obliged willingly, feeling incredibly natural in his arms.

"I am so happy this worked." He could hear the raw emotion in her voice and was saddened by how hard it must have been for her to do everything on her own.

"Hermione, what I said before I left." Hermione began to believe that he would take it all back and tell her that it was just something he said in case he died, and that he really didn't mean it. She turned around to look at him, fear in her eyes.

"What?" Her voice suddenly laced with anger. "Did you not mean it? Was it just something you were going to say to whoever was around you, regardless, because you were going to die?" He placed his finger on her lips and looked at her with more emotion in his eyes than he had ever showed to anyone.

"Why would you think that? I have loved you so long, Hermione."

"Is that why you saved me all those years ago?"

"Yes, it was. I loved you and it would have killed me to lose you."

"I missed you when you weren't with me."

"As did I. Do you know how many lives you saved?"

"So many, but I was happy that I was able to save you." He could feel her trembling beside him.

"I love you, Hermione." She smiled radiantly. He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers. He pulled away only to look into her beautiful honey brown eyes.

"I love you, Severus." He squeezed her hand as they both continued to lie on the bed together, basking in the silence the room offered and the peace neither of them had experienced in a long time.

* * *

Severus was checked out of the hospital the next day, as was Charlie. Hermione was happy to be able to walk around the grounds of Hogwarts, holding the hand of her favorite Potions Master, in the beautiful spring weather.

"Albus has decided to host a special ball for the occasion." Hermione said as they stopped underneath a swaying willow tree, perched on the side of the black lake.

"And I bet the students are riled up for the occasion."

"Yes, but I would be lying to say that I weren't excited about it too."

"You mean you like attending these blasphemous parties?" He looked at her, his traditional scowl on his face. She only smiled and swatted his arm friendly.

"Yes, I do. I just need a suitable partner to attend with me."

"Do you have anyone in mind?"

"Well, he has to be able to strike up a good conversation."

"That narrows it down considerably." He was overlooking the lake, watching as the giant squid poked his head above water. A couple third years came walking around the other side of the lake. They were talking and smirking in his direction. He gave them an awful scowl and sent them running.

"Severus!" She smiled nevertheless. She knew she would never be able to change the evil Potions professor.

"What? They were being nosey dunderheads." She shook her head and he wrapped his arms around her even tighter, kissing the top of her head and resting his chin against her soft brown curls.

"So, do know who I should get to take me to the ball yet?"

"Well, I've been thinking and if you don't mind, maybe I'll take you, make it a little easier on you." She looked at him and laughed.

"I could always ask Professor Flitwick." He scowled causing her to laugh. "No, your right; it would be much easier to go with you."

"When is this ball?"

"Tonight." He looked at her in surprise.

"It's nearly five o'clock, shouldn't you be getting ready." Hermione eyes nearly leaped out of her head. She stood up abruptly and started running towards the front doors of the castle.

"Meet me in the entrance hall at seven!" She screamed and he laughed to himself at her retreating body.

* * *

_AN: There will be two more chapters after this... the angst has retreated and the rest is mainly fluff... Smiles_


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen: The Ball**

Hermione looked in the mirror, wondering what caused her world to take such a drastic change. Not even half a year ago, she was stooped in a depression so low, that she didn't even bother trying to find a way out, and now she was getting dressed up happily, to go to a ball.

She finally decided, against her better judgment, to leave her hair down and slipped on a pair of lacey silver high-heeled slippers. Noting that it was nearly seven o'clock, she straightened her appearance, took a deep breath, and walked through the portrait hole.

Severus stood waiting in the entrance hall, his foot tapping and his usual scowl placed on his face. He couldn't let students believe he was well-mannered, just because he was the happiest he has ever been in his entire life. He felt the small square box in his left hand pocket and looked at his watch yet again. When he raised his eyes, he nearly swallowed his tongue.

There she was. Her hair was brilliantly hanging in loose curls all the way down to her waist. She wore a beautiful shimmering emerald dress that clung to her body like she had placed a sticking charm to it. He was amazed at her womanly curves and the playful smile, so much so, he forgot to breath.

Hermione was laughing in her head at the bemused expression Severus was displaying. She walked up to him and placed her arm in his own and had to give him a slight tug before he began to move with her into the great hall. Every eye was on the two of them as they made there way to the head table and sat down. Severus' eyes were only on her, and Hermione was pleased to note that he had a smile on his face.

Albus took the podium and gave a brief speech before allowing everyone to dig into their food. Severus, who hadn't heard anything or had been thinking of anything besides Hermione was given a jolt to see his food appear in front on him. Finally, he was able to clear his mind for a second before noting how beautiful she was.

"You look stunning, Hermione." He finally croaked. Hermione laughed inwardly.

"I was beginning to think that you were going to be quiet all night, Severus. I trust that you appreciate my gown?" He nodded and smirked playfully. His hand moved once more to the box in his pocket. They both began to eat their food in relative silence. Severus slipped his hand casually into her own half way through, causing her to blush.

Students were finally beginning to take notice of their surly Potions professors newly found love. When they had walked in and he wasn't scowling, they were curious, but when they started holding hands, they knew that something was up.

Dumbledore quickly vanished all of the tables from the Great Hall to clear it for dancing and gestured to the guests of honor, Hermione and Severus, to lead in the first dance. Instead of a great argument from Severus, he gracefully took Hermione's hand in his own, brought it up to his lips and kissed it tenderly.

"May I have this dance?" She blushed and nodded her head. He led her to the middle of the room and as the music began to play, they were transported off into their own little world.

"Have you ever seen him this happy?" Minerva asked as Dumbledore swept her around the great hall.

"Never, but I can see that in the future he is bound to be happier."

"How so?" Minerva asked, her back facing the now kneeling man, in the dark dress robes. She heard a loud gasp from the hall as the music finally silenced. She and Albus stopped dancing and turned around to stare at what the rest of the student body was witnessing.

"Hermione, I have only ever loved once in my life, and my love for you has consumed my thoughts since the first time you graced my presence. At first I was utterly stunned at your intelligence as my student and admired you, and then I was wooed by your charming ways as a colleague. I don't have much practice at this, and I would really rather not make a fool of myself by continuing, but please, will you marry me?" Hermione had tears in her eyes and was smiling beautifully as he placed the ring onto her finger. She nodded fiercely and pulled him up to her level, giving him one hell of a kiss in front of everyone.

Albus Dumbledore was the first to clap, followed shortly by a teary Minerva McGonagall. She had been waiting years for her bright, young, friend to cheer up, and witnessed it take place before her very eyes. She reached her hand over and gripped it with Albus', who was trying to hide the sparkling tears that were falling aimlessly down his wrinkled face.

Severus and Hermione held onto each other for what felt like hours, before continuing to dance to the beautiful music playing. That night, they only had eyes for each other.

* * *

The wedding was held on the beach of one of Severus' many villas in Spain. Albus and Minerva attended, as well as the Lupins, and their newborn, Aurora Hermione Lupin, named after Remus' deceased Grandmother and Hermione, of course. It was a short and sweet ceremony, with only the closest friends, in an intimate fashion.

After their three week honeymoon, Hermione and Severus returned back to Hogwarts to begin preparations for the upcoming year, and life was back to normal again. It wasn't even a month after they returned that Hermione announced that she was pregnant, and was to be expecting the following February. Life was turning out great for Severus and Hermione, as it should have.

* * *

_AN: Eeek... one more chapter. I really hope you guys like my story and if I have any lose ends to tie up that I am unaware of, don't shy to ask. Smiles._


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen: Fairytale Ending**

"Mee-tree, wait up!" She screamed from the top of her lungs to her retreating brother. Her long chestnut hair was being blown in the wind across her face.

"Zephyr, this is how you play tag! I can't just let you catch me!" He stopped by the porch of house.

"Why not!" She finally reached him, her arms crossed in front of her.

"Three year olds." He shook his head in annoyance and she shot her tongue out at him.

"Dmitri, be kind to your sister." A deep voice called from the doorway. In his arms was a drooling eighteen month old, sucking on a rubber snitch.

"Yeah, Mee-tree, be kind to me." She went to the rocking swing that her daddy was sitting at, bouncing the baby up and down. "Daddy, I don't like playing tag. He never let's be get him." Severus chuckled lightly.

"That's the point." The tall, lanky, boy with curly dark hair said as he came to sit on the edge of the porch.

"What's the point?" Hermione's large belly came through the doorway far before the rest of her, as she continued to waddle her way to where her loving husband and children were sitting.

"Zephyr doesn't know how to play tag." Dmitri huffed. Hermione took a seat and held onto her husband's hand, comfortingly.

"Hey!" Zephyr battled back.

"Enough, you two." Severus couldn't help but smile at his children's playful banter. "Dmitri, are your belongings packed."

"Already." He whined. "The Hogwarts express doesn't come for another three days." Hermione and Severus would soon be leaving with the rest of their children to inhabit the halls of Hogwarts, as soon as their oldest child entered as a first year at the age of six.

"Everyone else is packed; I don't see a reason why you shouldn't be as well." Severus admonished his son. "I also expect that you have finished reading your texts."

"He's already done that dear." Hermione's hair was gripped tightly by the giggling baby on his Daddy's lap. "Twice."

"Now, now, Roman, don't pull on Mommy's hair." He carefully detangled his small hand and Hermione's beautiful curls. "Well, Dmitri, you should go and pack you things."

"Okay, dad." He walked off the porch and his younger sister followed quickly after him.

"She never leaves him, does she?" Hermione asked, a smile playing at her lips.

"Never." He smiled as the beautiful brown haired boy drooled all over his robes.

"I don't know how she will survive with her brother attending classes." Hermione began to rub her belly fondly. Severus smiled over at her, the two year old in his lap, fast asleep now.

"She'll probably want to attend all of them with him. We'll have a hell of time trying to stop her." He placed his hand over her swollen belly.

"Maybe we can coerce Albus into doing a bit of babysitting for us."

"Perhaps." He kissed her forehead lightly, making sure not to disturb the bundle of joy in his arms.

"I imagine this year will be a bit hectic."

"A bit." Severus agreed.

"But we can do it." She squeezed his hand a bit tighter.

"Of course." She sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder, happier than she could have ever imagined.

_**-and they all lived happily ever after-**_

* * *

_AN: And that is the end... I appreciate all the reviews I have recieved and all that I will recieve in the future. I hope you liked my story, it was my very first and I had a blast writing it._ _Smiles._


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